Many Floridians know that the sabal palmetto, also known as sabal or cabbage palm, is the state tree, and that the orange blossom is our state flower.But did you know we have a state butterfly?In ...

We saw our first zebra longwing, or zebra heliconian (Heliconius charithonia), in the garden last week. This distinctive butterfly with its long black-and-yellow striped wings was designated Florida’s ...

Did you know that Florida has a state butterfly? In 1996, Gov. Lawton Chiles designated the Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius) as Florida’s official state butterfly. This butterfly is found in ...

Male zebra longwing butterfly vision sticks to a duller pallette, perhaps for mating reasons. The genes that explain this may help unlock how differences between sexes evolve. By Veronique Greenwood ...

Gardeners should monitor lawns for tropical sod webworms and consider applying a low-nitrogen fertilizer in early fall. Fall is an ideal time to apply fire ant bait, manage standing water to prevent ...

There are zebras in my yard — lots of zebras! Not the four-legged variety found in Africa. The zebras I’ve been seeing are garden-variety critters. Their official name is Heliconius charitonius, but ...

Sandy Jespersen wasn't looking for a rare butterfly. She was seeking shade from the hot sun at Brazos Bend State Park where she works as a volunteer. She headed for the canopy of trees at the ...